Matrix Regulations
by Cactusnsock
Summary: Regulating the Matrix isn't always the easiest job for the agents. Follow the tale of a glitch in the Matrix that leads to a change in Gabriel Jone's life


The Matrix: Regulations  
  
"What is the Matrix? Are you sure you want to know." This statement has been uttered to people before. It is then that these people are offered two options. They can either take the red pill, the one that would open up a whole new world full of darkness and uncertainty, or the blue pill, the one that would return them to the complacent disillusioned lives that they lead. Today, Gabriel Jones does not have that choice. No matter what type of pill he would choose to swallow, and what path he wants to take, the choice ultimately doesn't matter. In fact that choice might not even be a choice at all.  
  
A scruffy, sixty year old showing considerable signs of his age and stature with chipped teeth and a disjointed smile lies in a heap of garbage on the ground. His cough reveals a hint of the emphysema that years of living on the street has caused, and the cough echoes off of the walls of the alleyway in which he is in. As his eyes are closed, protecting him from the spurious world that surrounds him, he sees unspeakable horrors of robotic demons, glowing hellish red eyes, and fallen heroes. In his nightmarish vision, he decodes a word that one of these heroes states. In a reflex that isn't all that ordinary, he shouts out the word he sees the hero mouth, "MATRIX!" The word reverberates off the walls and within seconds dissipates into its various frequencies. Before the next word even exits this "sleeping beauty's" mouth, two extremely well dressed men who appear to be indistinguishable from one another in their double breasted, two button black suits, black tie, and pitch black, opaque sunglasses, are looming over him. The one on the right takes one look at the man and without hesitation unloads a clip of bullets directly into his brain. As the cranial matter scatters on the sidewalk the same man turns to his lookalike and with such composure and conviction states, "What scum." The two men then walk away as if nothing happens, and blend right back in with the crowd moving along the sidewalk adjacent to the alleyway.  
  
Sitting in his apartment, Gabriel Jones is clad in his torn 89' Cowboys t-shirt and boxers, downing a bottle of milk and a bowl of cereal as part of his ritual on Mondays. While watching the final Monday Night Football contest of the year, Gabriel is without a care in the world becoming completely absorbed in the game, and not worrying about the conference he has tomorrow that could change his standing in his company, B&M Banking. With only five minutes left in the first half, and the Cowboys leading ten to seven against the Rams, Jones is praying for his favorite team to pull out the win. As the clock winds down, and the game becomes more and more exciting leading into halftime, the television signal is lost. All that is on the television screen is the familiar black and white fuzz that greets someone that doesn't pay their cable bill. As Gabriel jumps up from a mix of anxiety and fright, he still keeps his eyes fixed on the television screen hoping to see the enjoyable images of the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders clad in their silver boots and petite blue outfit. What Gabriel sees in the fuzz is the complete opposite. It is in this television screen that he sees the images of a world destroyed. A barren wasteland filled with a storming, black sky, and crumbled buildings. His mouth drops in horror of what he is witnessing, and Gabriel jumps when there is a knock at the door. In a booming, commanding, yet composed voice, someone calls through the door, "Mr. Jones."  
  
The dark desolate world that Gabriel envisioned on his television screen is in fact a reality. The harsh reality of this world has driven the only few remaining forces of humanity underground, forming a resistance. It is on one of the main resistance ships, the Nebuchadnezzar, that Link is the head of communications, able to read number codes of ones and zeroes as if they were actual images. As part of his tasks as head of communications, Link also monitors all that is occurring in these stream of numbers. It is these numbers that correlate to the events that are occurring inside the Matrix, including the ones that aren't meant to occur. It is only a matter of seconds after Gabriel sees the image that Link is alerted of this abnormality. Immediately he activates the Nebuchadnezzar's intercommunications button to call the ship's captain, Morpheus and Neo to the main deck.  
In deep relaxation, Morpheus slowly rises from his bed, keeping his eyes closed as long as possible. Within a matter of moments, and after a few curses from being raised from his deep sleep. After meandering through the hallways of the Nebuchadnezzar, and climbing up through the sturdy, steel barred ladder, Morpheus arrives on the main deck. "Link, what is it?"  
"See for yourself" responds Link while pointing at the thousands of zeros and ones of the code on the screen.  
As he "reads" what is occurring, Morpheus becomes extremely nervous. Despite his feelings, his calm, cool, composed demeanor remains no matter how grave this leak of information in the Matrix is. "Damn. Prepare for connection into the Matrix for Neo, Trinity and myself."  
As Link begins to prepare the equipment that hooks all of the crewman of the Nebuchadnezzar, except for "real" world born humans like himself, into the Matrix, he carries on his conversation with Morpheus. "What's so bad about this Morpheus? So what if we free another one from those bastard machines."  
"Where is Neo?" Morpheus pauses for a moment, and heads toward the ship's communications center. "Link, it is very important that we maintain a balance in the Matrix. Freeing too many will make it easier for them to track us. Also, how can we be sure that this person will even be ready to be removed. What about-There are just too many factors to worry about. We will only truly free everyone, and do anymore good when we truly destroy the Matrix. Eventually, we will end this war, and Neo will help us achieve freedom."  
Link listens intently to the born leader, and then asks the question that is still prominent in Morpheus's mind. "Where is Neo?"  
  
In their room, Neo and Trinity lie wrapped in each other's arms, doing more than just a simple embrace to revel in their love. It isn't until Morpheus screams for both of them to come to the bridge that Neo falls to the ground, and starts to get prepared. Both pull on their tattered clothes that would, in the Matrix, categorize them as homeless, or at least bums, but here, it classifies them as freedom fighters. They struggle to get ready quickly, but within three minutes are already out their door, climbing the ladder to the main deck. Neo glares at Morpheus as his head pops out of the opening near the ladder. His scornful look disappears when he catches a glimpse of what is occurring on the screen.  
Just as Morpheus and Link had done earlier, Neo and Trinity quickly scan the screen and see the problem that had occurred in the "fantasy world" they are trying to end. Immediately, Neo turns to Morpheus. "Extraction?" Morpheus solemn nods his head as Neo turns to Trinity, and ultimately Link. "Lock and load. Hook me up and send me in first. Trinity, stay back, if anything happens, we will need someone to go in to help us."  
Trinity is about to argue with Neo when her eyes meets his. They lean in to each other and share a passionate kiss. The time it lasts is enough to enable Link to finish setting up the devices to allow them to enter the Matrix. "It's ready Neo. Times a wasting"  
Neo slowly releases Trinity and takes a seat in the sterile, dentist- like chair that acts as the station from which he is to enter the spurious world. Shifting into his powerful, wise voice that is becoming of "The One" Neo lays out his plan. "Morpheus enter when I give the signal. Link load up the file program, I might need some fire power. Trinity-" Neo pauses.  
Trinity moves up toward him and presses a button to activate the Matrix. As the pain that accompanies entry to the world begins to set in, Trinity softly says to Neo, "Come back safe to me, my one."  
  
Sweat drips from Gabriel's brow as he starts to panic. His mind is racing as he tries to figure out what he had done wrong. "I paid all my parking tickets, didn't I? What about the-No, it can't be that. Maybe the -Nah." Gabriel cautiously goes to the door and hesitantly moves the swivel of the peep hole to look out. As he inches his eye closer and closer, and the image on the other side of the door becomes clearer, his cell phone rings. Before fully seeing the focused sight of the doom that lies just on the other side of that door, he reaches for the phone. Flipping it open he presses his ear to it, and before he can say hello, a deep voice begins to talk. The voice seems full of wisdom, yet also powerful enough to intimidate even the most bold men.  
Listen to me, Gabriel. Do not speak to me. Do not respond. Do not ask questions. I am here to give you aid. What is lying beyond your door is more powerful and more harmful than you can comprehend.  
Gabriel begins to stutter as if to respond, when all of a sudden he hears an extremely thunderous knock on his door. A voice accompanies this knock, "Mr. Jones?!" The inflection of this voice is no longer full of stoicism. This stoicism is replaced by deep resentment and impatience, and sends a chill up Gabriel's spine.  
Getting nervous aren't you. Don't worry, just follow what I tell you and you should survive. Soon enough all the questions you have will be answered but for now, get out onto your apartment's roof. Once you are there, I will call you again.  
  
The phone held up to Gabriel's ear immediately goes dead on the other end. Gabriel hangs up the phone, sliding it into his jean pocket, and stands still for a few moments absorbing what he just heard. "Should survive?" is the one thought that dominates his mind. As he wonders what the man on the other end of the phone meant, Gabriel looks toward the window, pondering what to do when another earsplitting knock on his door brings him back to "reality" (or what he believes is reality). "Mr. Jones open this door now! This is your last warning."  
While the loud voice is enough to scare Gabriel into opening the door, the click that he hears afterwards sounds oddly like a gun's safety being turned off, causing him to rethink his decision. Gabriel stands firm in the center of his apartment and stares back and forth repeatedly between the window and the door trying to decide what path to take. The voice from the other side of the door screams this time as if from a different world. "Open Up!"  
With that blood curdling scream Gabriel's decision is made and he makes a valiant leap for the window smashing through his window sending glass everywhere. As Gabriel dives out of the window he allows "gravity" to take full control before he grabs the emergency ladder. The force from his body is pulled toward the building as Gabriel bounces off the hard steel of the ladder, and cold brick of the apartment building. Within milliseconds Gabriel regains his composure and quickly climbs up the ladder with more energy than he has done anything in years. He moves with increased speed and strength, as if something, or someone has given him supernatural like aide. It is only a short scale before Gabriel reaches the top of the building, and hoists himself up over the lip of the building top, onto the roof. Not even a second after his feet hit the ground does he hears the familiar incessantly irritating Nokia tone of his cell phone. Gabriel quickly answers it.  
You will be in for a pleasant surprise in a moment Gabriel.  
Gabriel stares down the side of the building and notices two menacing figures that look remarkably similar dressed in there standard issue, federal agent like suits. Gabriel quickly remarks into the phone, "Can't you get here any quicker, these weird federal agents are right on my tail."  
Just a moment more Gabriel.  
The fear in Gabriel's eyes grows as he keeps staring at the figures scaling the building. There speed and strength are abnormal, and it seems like they will only have seconds to reach the top of the building. Just when Gabriel has given up hope, he gets hit with an immense force from behind. He becomes incoherent for a moment, not knowing what is happening, until he notices the city below his feet. Gabriel is in shock, and horror when he turns his head and notices that he is being carried by a man in a long black coat, flying! Gabriel shouts out to the man who is flying, "Let me down. Who the hell are you!? How are yo-" Gabriel's anxiety and fear over come him, and he passes out mid sentence. The "Superman" that caught him off the apartment roof carries Gabriel off, flying higher and higher into the sky. This "Superman, Neo, maneuvers through various clouds and skyscrapers heading for a familiar building.  
Neo slows down as they reach the building that acts as his home within the Matrix, The Daniel Institue. Neo flies inside the building gently placing down Gabriel on one of the large cushioned chairs. He picks up a cell phone off of a table, dealing the O for operator. Neo speaks into the phone with a bit of anxiety, and a bit of uncertainty "Link, get us out of here."  
The sound of typing on a keyboard is prominent in the background as Link responds to Neo " No red or blue for this guy?"  
Neo looks around nerviously as he answers Link, "Not this time. He knows too much, he has to be freed. Does Morpheus have a location on him yet."  
Link responds while typing on his keyboard, "Third Quadrant, fourth sector. We are already there, just waiting for you to pick up the hard line." Neo is about to respond when Link cuts him off. " You might want to hang up now, Two agents are right outside the door. Good Luck. Send Gabriel through soon."  
Neo gets a more confident look in his eyes as the agents kick down the door. He briskly comments to Link before closing the cell phone, "No luck needed."  
  
The agents barge into the room, glaring directly at Neo. The first agent stoically states "He is-"  
  
"-protecting the corrupt one." Finishes the other agent. The two agents then simultaneously say "We must defeat him."  
Neo stares the two "programs" in the eye, "Good Luck."  
  
The two agents charge Neo, who blocks each of their punches with one of his own. The three form a rhythm as their fight becomes almost graceful with kicks and punches molding together into a sort of dance. Neo nails one perfectly place kick and is able to send the two agents flying into the wall. They hit so hard that the building shakes, as the whole structure seems to move an inch or so. Despite the impact of the maneuver, the two agents rise up to their feet. Neo runs full force into them, attempting to catch them on his flight. He is able to catch one of them just before he smashes through a wall. He soars through the air, bringing the agent up with him toward the heavens, and drops him. Neo doesn't wait to watch the agent hurtle back towards the ground, as he flies back to eliminate his other opponent.  
When Neo reaches the Daniel Institute, he now sees the agent menacingly standing over Gabriel, with his gun barrel placed on Gabriel's skull. Summoning upon his full power, expanding his mind to its excess, Neo zooms toward the agent. It is only seconds until he reaches the agent, but he is too late as the agent fires the bullet with Neo still meters away.  
When Neo arrives back at the building, Gabriel's body is already limp in the chair with his brain matter scattered on the back of the chair, and blood oozing from his mouth. "Sh!t!" Neo shouts out of frustration, as he turns his attention toward the agent. But the agent isn't there. In its place lies an exhausted, confused middle aged woman. Neo slowly walks toward her, and gently lifts her up. He slowly carries her outside of the room. He places her gingerly on the ground, whispering "I can't have you end up as Gabriel now. One is enough for a day."  
  
Neo slowly walks back into the room where Gabriel's body lies, and snatches the cellphone off the ground. "Link get me a hard line out of here. I can't handle another failure today." A regular, old fashion black phone rings, as Neo answers. He is immediately gone from the Daniel Institute, with no trace of his existence within the Matrix.  
  
Neo "jacks out" and returns to the real world. The first image he sees when he opens his eyes is of his beloved Trinity. Instantaneously, Neo feels a rush of emotion, and his grief over Gabriel's death is eased. Trinity leans in an kisses her love, kisses her true "One". 


End file.
